Drum



R. S. RHEEM Aug. l5, 1939.

DRUM

Filed Sept. 28, 1935 V INVENTOR. P/'C/m/-o 5. @hee/77 www Patented Aug. I5, 1939 PATENT lOFFICE DRUM Richard S. Rheem,

Oakland, Calif., assignor to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Richmond, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 28, 1935, Serial No. 42,634

1 Claim.

The invention relates to heavy-duty steel drums, and particularly to the process of reconditioning used or damaged drums of this type, and to the construction of such drums in reconditioned form.

An object of the invention is to provide a method of reconditioning the drum which will permit of cleaning and reshaping of the side walls of the drum by insertion of appropriate tools and mechanism in the interior of the drum.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a method of reconditioning the drums, which will permit direct entry into and operation within the drum, of cleaning and reshaping tools or mechanism having an actual or effective working circumference equal to the normal inside circumference of the side walls of the drum.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the reconditioning of the drum by removing the end wall thereof Without causing a weakening of the rim of the drum or interfering with the ready and effective application of a new wall or head thereto. Y

A still further object of the invention is to provide a reconditioneddrum in which there is substituted for the portion of the original head covering the interior of the drum a completely new head which is held in sealed andlocked position on the drum by cooperating with the portion of the original head left intact on the drum and interlocked with the side walls of the drum.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmental longitudinally sectional view of a drum in original condition.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the same drum after a portion of the original head has been removed therefrom.

Figure 3 is a similar view of the drum illustrated in Figure 2, but in addition showing a new head partially applied to the drum.

Figure 4 is a view similar to the above, but showing the parts in final position such as when the complete reconditioning of the drum has been effected.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view drawn (Cl. 22o-66) on a relatively small scale, of the entire drum with an end wall removed.

One of the requisites in effecting the reconditioning vof relatively large steel drums such as used in the oil industry, is that of having access 5 to the interior of the drum sufficient not only for thoroughly cleaning same but forcing outwardly into normal or original position the portions of the wall dented inwardly. Usually the only means of access to the interior of the drum is 10 provided by the bung hole formed in the end of side Walls of the drum. Such hole,however,is relatively small and the size thereof makes diiilcult, or impractical, if not impossible, the insertion into the drum of tools or mechanism appropriate for clean- 15 ing and removing rust from the walls and correcting the deformities therein. In accordance with the reconditioning process of my invention,

I arrange to cut out or otherwise remove from the drum the entire portion of the head or end which 2o overlies the interior of the drumvso that there may be inserted thereinto a cleaning or reshaping apparatus having a working face substantially equal in diameter to that of the inside of the drum. The portion of the head interlocked with the side 25 walls of the drum is left intact on the drum so that when the cleaning and reshaping of the walls has been completed, a new Lead may be locked to the drum by interlock with said portion.

A detailed description follows: 30 A common form of metal drum construction is illustrated in Figure 1, where the drum 2 is formed with cylindrical side walls 3 to which is secured by means of an interlocking seam joint 4 a head 6. The ange or bead l of the walls, which coacts with the flange 8 on the head to form the joint 4,is located outwardly of the portion of the walls defining the interior of the drum, and the portion 9 of the head overlying the inside of the drum, which portion includes an inset I2 which may' be 40 termed the end wall of -the drum, and a longitudinal section I3 which laps the side walls and connects the end wall I2 with the iiange 8.

In the first step of conditioning the drum, I arrange to remove by cutting or otherwise the portion 9 of the head so that, as clearly shown in Figure 2, there is left for access to the interior of `the drum an opening I 4 coextensive with the full width of the interior of the drum and whose sides I6 form a smooth and practically uninterrupted 50 extension of the inner surface II of the drum walls 3. With the portion 9 removed, any reaming, metal shaping, cleaning or rust removing appal ratus, such as indicated at A in Figure 5, having an effective working periphery substantially equal When the cleaning, reshaping or repairing opf f eration`has been completed, a new head 6 is positioned over the original head of the drum,

as shown in Figure 3, generally corresponding in form and size with such original head in having an inset end wall portion 8', a lapping section I3', and a ilange 8'. It will be noted that the removal of the portion l2 from the original head has left intact the interlocked flanges 1 and 8 of the side walls and head 0f the drum, and it is to ,such interlocked portions that the flange 8' of the new head is designed to be in turn interlocked or otherwise attached. In the present embodiment of the invention, the flange 8 and the section I3' of the new head form a channel for the snug reception of the interlocked parts 'l and 8, and desirably a sealing gasket 2l is'interposed between the base of the channel and the adjacent portionof said interlocked parts. With the new head thus positioned, a chime ringl 22, or the like, is clamped about the interiltted members and caused, as shown in Figure '4, to hold the ilange of the new head in forcible embrace with the parts 1 and 8 and the gasket in compressed position. The ring 22 as here shown is curved or otherwise formed in transverse section as to clearly approximate and follow the portions of the drum en-v gaged thereby, and thus avoid creating any pracin most instances the reis suilcient, and in such tical enlargement of the drum at the rim thereof. It is important to note that should it become advisable to effect subsequent reconditioning of the drum', it is merely necessary to remove the ring, release the new head, and then after the reconditioning operation is completed, replace the head and use a new ring. It desired, in order to obtain a more secure attachment between the new head and the original portions of the drum, the side walls may be'circumferentially indented to. provide an external groove 23 in which lthe inner end 24 of the clamping ring may key.

It will now be clear that with the process of my inventionthe drum can be easily and thoroughly reconditioned and that after the new head is operatively applied, the drum should for all purposes be as good as when originally completed.

I claim:

A reconditioned having a cylindrical side wall and a head covering an end of said drum and having a peripheral portion interseamed with an end peripheral portion of said wall to define a circumferential bead with said head portion lying across the end of the drum and extending longitudinally at the outer side of said bead, said reconditioned drum being formed with an opening provided by cutdrum formed from a drum e ting away of said head at the inner periphery of y RIbHARD S. RHEEM.

inner circumferential sur- 

